Trump's Hand in the War

 (Remember why he was impeached?)

Today’s top story comes from Politico, which reminds us of the key role played by Donald Trump in the development of the tragic global peace-shattering war in Ukraine:

“(T)he House impeached (Trump), alleging he held hostage hundreds of millions of dollars in security aid in order to pressure Ukraine to investigate his political rivals, including his eventual successor, Joe Biden. The aid was eventually provided, but not before a crisis that rattled two continents and desperate pleas by Zelenskyy’s government for help fending off the very Russian aggression that now threatens to topple him from power in Ukraine.”

Ukraine is Europe’s largest country by area and has a population of 44 million, with an army of one million.

Following is the largest aggregation of stories from the world’s leading media on the war and its impacts taht you will find anywhere.

TODAY’s NEWS (65):

1. US military believes Russia's invasion of Ukraine is the largest conventional conflict in Europe since WWII (CNN)

2. Missiles rain down around Ukraine (Reuters)

3. Putin launches a war the West saw coming but was powerless to stop (Reuters)

4. How far will Putin go against Ukraine? | Inside Story (Al Jazeera)

5. Roads blocked in Kyiv as residents flee (The Hill)

6. Putin shatters peace in Europe as Russia storms Ukraine (Financial Times)

7. 'The world will hold Russia accountable': Leaders react to 'horrific events' in Ukraine (USA Today)

8. Biden’s Stark Warning to Putin (BBC)

9. US Expects Kyiv to Fall in Days as Ukraine Source Warns of Encirclement (Newsweek)

10. Russia-Ukraine War: Ukraine Says Russia Plans To Encircle Kyiv By Morning (India Today)

11. UN urges restraint at Ukraine nuke facilities (AP)

12. Zelensky warns of new iron curtain as Russia invades (BBC)

13. Putin's troops 'seize control' of Chernobyl nuclear disaster site (Sky News)

14. Chernobyl no-go zone targeted as Russia invades Ukraine (AP)

15. Russia intends to replace Ukraine government, US official says (MSN)

16. ‘The worst sunrise in my life’: Ukrainians wake to attack (AP)

17. War on Ukraine Ends Europe’s Dream of Russia as a Friend (WSJ)

18. What's really behind Putin's invasion of Ukraine? Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy declared martial law, broke off diplomatic relations with Russia and said that Ukraine had a millions-strong army ready to defend the country. He called on the international community to prepare an anti-Putin front to force Russia out of Ukraine. (EuroNews)

19. Ukraine's U.N. ambassador pleads at the Security Council for war to stop (NPR)

20. Putin claims he was 'forced' to invade Ukraine (The Hill)

21. China says it understands Russia's 'reasonable security concerns' over Ukraine (NHK)

22. Putin's Ukraine assault confounds Biden's strategy and puts his leadership to the test. How Biden handles this crisis is expected to have profound implications for his political fortunes and U.S. relations with the world. (Reuters)

23. Putin’s war imperils global security arrangements (AP)

24. US expands no-fly zone near Ukraine (CNN)

25. NATO to deploy rapid response force if necessary (NHK)

26. With Ukraine under attack, Kyiv's residents rush to stock up and reach safety(NPR)

27. Russia Aiming For 'Blitzkrieg' Destruction Of Ukraine's Forces (NDTV)

28. Nato chief responds to Russian invasion of Ukraine: 'Peace on our continent has been shattered' (Guardian)

29. European Sanctions Target Putin’s Inner Circle (NYT)

30. Ukraine’s Zelensky to Russians: ‘What are you fighting for and with whom?’(WP)

31. Ukraine shuts ports as conflict threatens grain supplies (Reuters)

32. VIDEO: China Dismisses Sanctions Against Russia as Ineffective (AP)

33. U.S. vows to hold Russia responsible after Ukraine attack (WP)

34. Macron: Sanctions will be proportionate to Russian military actions in Ukraine (NHK)

35. Many Russians Feel a Deep Unease Over Going to War (NYT)

36. Trump and his supporters praise Putin and dismiss Biden as crisis unfolds (WP)

37. How the Ukraine invasion connects to Trump's first impeachment — and where the players are now (Politico)

38. Global finance grapples with Ukraine crisis as shares slump (Reuters)

39. G7 leaders hold emergency talks after Russia attacks Ukraine (NHK)

40. U.S. Treasury Sanctions Russia's Two Largest Banks (WSJ)

41. Oil prices broke above $100 a barrel for the first time since 2014, stock markets slumped and the rouble hit a record low on Thursday after Russian President Vladimir Putin launched an invasion of Ukraine (Reuters)

42. Zelenskyy: Ukraine severs diplomatic ties with Russia (NHK)

43. In maps, videos and photos, how Russia’s attack on Ukraine is unfolding (WP)

44. The rouble tumbled to an all-time low against the dollar and euro in highly volatile trading after Putin ordered Russian forces to invade Ukraine. Russia's invasion saw investors scrambling for the safety of gold and the protection of inflation hedges. (Reuters)

45. People in the capital, Kyiv, have been hearing explosions and air-raid sirens throughout the day (BBC)

46. Russian Invasion Unfolds on Social Media (WSJ)

47. Protesters 'stand with Ukraine' across United States (Reuters)

48. Thousands join anti-war protests in Russia after Ukraine invasion (Guardian)

49. There are also renewed reports of explosions in the port city of Mariupol, home to half a million people (BBC)

50. McConnell to Biden: ‘Ratchet the Sanctions All the Way Up’ (WSJ)

51. Lloyds on 'heightened alert' for Russian cyberattacks on banks - CEO (Reuters)

52. Anti-war Protests in Russia — Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, protests erupted around the world—even in Russia, where hundreds gathered in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and other Russian cities to demonstrate against their government. (Atlantic)

53. Putin’s invasion of Ukraine plants a bomb under the Russian state — Aggressive foreign policy combined with tighter repression at home will fuel public discontent (Financial Times)

54. Ukrainian military: About 50 Russian troops killed (NHK)

55. Ukraine's president, dressed in military fatigues, vows to fight on, but acknowledges troop losses (BBC)

56. Dictators Aren’t Pretending Anymore (Atlantic)

57. Russia’s Strike Changes Not Just Ukraine but the World (WSJ)

58. Stocks drop, with the Nasdaq dipping into a bear market. (NPR)

59. Is Taiwan Next? Russia’s invasion of Ukraine makes the frightening possibility of China seizing control of the island more real. (Atlantic)

60. Global Companies Close Ukraine Offices, Factories After Russia Attack (WSJ)

61. Russia defense ministry: No strikes on Ukrainian cities, no threat to civilians (NHK)

62. How Ukraine Could Become a Nuclear Crisis (Atlantic)

63. Russia unleashed data-wiper virus on Ukraine, say cyber experts (Guardian)

64. Man stranded in Ukraine cuts interview short as tank approaches (BBC)

65. Putin has brought conventional, bloody warfare back to Europe (Financial Times)